Going by bike: Letters on rider safety, the hybrid commute

Too many Portland bicyclists seem to lack common sense, at their peril. I had yet another close call a couple of nights ago when, at a green light on southbound Southeast 28th Avenue, with my right turn signal on, I almost creamed an overtaking bicyclist continuing south. I'm sure the rider wouldn't have tried to pass a turning car on the right if he was also in a car. Why he thought it safe to do so on a bike is a mystery to me.

I learned my urban bike riding in Boston, a city notorious for crazy drivers and scrambled intersections. (I also drove a cab.) I learned to position myself on my bike directly behind or in front of a car in these circumstances, not to his or her right, in what could easily be the car's immediate path of travel, not to mention the driver's blind spot. As a matter of exercising responsibility for my own safety, I still do this.

I've assumed this is the theory behind bike boxes, but bike boxes don't do anything in moving traffic. Bicyclists have to learn that bike lanes don't make them impregnable (but might make them invisible) and that there are times when leaving the bike lane, or at least slowing down and giving way, is the only safe course of action. It's crucial when overtaking a moving car or truck in the right-hand lane, especially if the car's turn signal is on.

This principle is approved in the Oregon bike lane law that encourages riders to leave the bike lane when they are "Continuing straight at an intersection where the bicycle lane or path is to the right of a lane from which a motor vehicle must turn right."

Tim Spofford

Northeast Portland

For me, riding a bike is a daily exercise. It has been for the nearly five years I've lived in Tigard and worked in different places around the metro area. In many cases, when I leave my house on a bike, I eventually end up on one of TriMet's buses or trains.

Combining bicycling with public transportation is one of the things that has allowed me to drive less, be more active and spend more money locally. Even when I'm traveling places with safe routes for bicycles, I'll sometimes choose to hop on a bus or train if I need to cover a longer distance in less time. Also, bus routes and train stations can be very far apart in areas outside of downtown Portland, and for many people including myself, riding a bicycle is the only timely way of accessing TriMet.

Banning bicycles from any form of public transit would adversely impact taxpaying citizens and reduce the number of people who choose to ride a bike and TriMet ("It's time to ban bikes on MAX trains," OregonLive.com, Oct. 20). Banning any kind personal mobility device, including bicycles, won't solve the problem of people being rude and inconsiderate on the MAX. Limiting or banning bicycles on the MAX will only hurt rule-abiding citizens.

TriMet understands that current demand sometimes exceeds the supply of space for bicycles on buses, WES and MAX. That's why TriMet is working to provide alternatives by building Bike & Ride facilities, installing additional bike parking and encouraging people to use folding bicycles to save space.

If we want to have a complete, functional public transit system, we're going to need to figure out ways to make it viable for everyone, no matter how they choose to get to and from the bus stop or train station. I, for one, am excited that more people are riding TriMet, with and without bikes, and I'm looking forward to constructive conversations about how we can ensure that everyone gets where they're going without impeding other people's travel.